Kenneth Cooke’s rape and sexual assault appeal dismissed

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Kenneth Cooke’s appeal against a 14-year sentence for rape and sexual assault was dismissed by the Court of Appeal on 11 April 2019; the sentence comprised nine years with four suspended and 11 years with two suspended.

The offences involved two boys in Dublin, with the reported offending spanning 1980 to 2003. Cooke had pleaded guilty to 21 counts of sexually assaulting one boy and had been convicted by a jury of 56 counts involving another.

The appeal court found no error in the sentencing approach and was not persuaded that the 14-year term was disproportionate. The appeal was therefore dismissed.